Facts of the Case: Sometime between July 1997 and January 1998, Nuzzio Begaren is accused of soliciting members of a Los Angeles criminal street gang to murder his wife Elizabeth Wheat, who was a correctional officer at a California state prison. At approximately 11:00 p.m. on Jan. 17, 1998, Begaren, was driving on the eastbound 91 Freeway in Anaheim with Wheat and Begaren’s 10-year-old daughter. When he stopped his car on the East Street on-ramp, Begaren is accused of getting out of the driver’s seat under the pretense of moving to the back of the vehicle to protect his daughter. The gang members, including Espinoza, are accused of getting out of the vehicle, armed with firearms, and approached Wheat who was in the passenger seat of Begaren’s vehicle. Espinoza is accused of murdering Wheat by shooting her one time in the head and chest, taking her purse containing a $5,000 payment, and fleeing the scene.

For more information on the case, please select the Feb. 8, 2012, press release titled, "Husband and Two Gang Members Charged with 1998 Cold Case Conspiracy Murder of Wife to Collect $1 Million Life Insurance Policy," under Press Releases/Media Advisories on the homepage.

Circumstances of Disappearance/Last Seen: Defendant Espinoza's whereabouts became unknown after he went into hiding when the case was reopened in 2012. Espinoza has family in Arizona, and may be somewhere in California.

If you have any information, please contact:OCDA's Most Wanted Hotline (866) 673-2574